Arc lamp



Nov. 3, 1936. H, W RST 2,059,668

ARC LAMP Original Filed March 4, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l a WW 1936. J. H. WAGENHORST 2,059,668

ARC LAMP Original Filed March 4, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7r77/Q. 2 75 4 I 7 I 7 g76 36 i 7 N I Janzes ffh ayeh k0 raj,

1936- J. H. WAGENHORST 2,059,663

ARC LAMP Original Filed March 4, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Juries H Wage nhorsia,

$4 5 Snow m3 Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 520,139. Divided and 1935, Serial No. 28,188

11 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application for U. S. Letters Patent for improvements in Are lamps, Serial No, 520,139, filed March 4, 1931 upon which U. S. Patent No. 2,024,318 was granted on December 1'7, 1935. My present invention relates to improvements in arc lamps of the type disclosed, for instance, in U. S. Letters Patent, No. 1,816,554, granted to me July 28, 1931, and has to do, more particularly, with the efficient control of automatically fed movable electrodes in such a lamp construction.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a simple, inexpensive arc lamp construction which will provide an arc of uniform intensity.

It is also an object of my invention to provide means for guiding the movable electrodes of such a lamp and maintaining them in alinement with the cooperating stationary electrodes, which means is of such character that friction is greatly reduced, thus rendering the electrode operating means extremely sensitive to fluctuations in the current and giving a steady light of substantially constant value.

Another object of my invention is to provide,

' in an arc lamp employing a plurality of electrodes attached to two or more control rods grasped by a single clutch, of means insuring equal clutching of said control rods.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of construction and operation, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow. In one instance, I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means set forth in the following specification. My invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of my specification, in which,

Figure l is a central, vertical sectional View through an arc lamp embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view through the lamp, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal, sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the operative relationship of the clutch, control rods, and clutch-tripping means, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the clutch and clutch-tripping means disclosed in Fig. 4.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

In general, my invention comprises the incor-' this application June 24,

poration in an arc lamp of the general type disclosed in my Letters Patent, No. 1,816,554, previously referred to, of novel electrode operating means. Broadly, these means are disclosed in my application, Serial No. 439,725, filed March 28, 1930, and copending with said application, Serial No. 520,139, on which Patent No. 2,024,318 was issued, but now abandoned. In so far, therefore, as the present application discloses and claims electrode operating mechanism disclosed in said application, Serial No. 439,725, the present application is a continuation thereof. In a broad aspect, the present invention, here disclosed and claimed, consists in the incorporation, in an arc lamp of the general type disclosed in my aforementioned Letters Patent, No. 1,816,554, of means for maintaining the electrodes and electrode control rods in alined, substantially frictionless association cooperating with novel clutch means for appropriately and, if necessary, differentially feeding said electrodes through the medium of said control rods. More specifically, the clutch comprises a tiltable plate suspended from one end by an operating lever and having an aperture through which the control rods extend and are grasped to properly space the arcing ends of the electrodes. Means are provided on the free end of the clutch plate which contact with the lamp base or other stop and cause the plate to be easily disengaged from the control rods and permit them and their attached electrodes to lower sufliciently to compensate for electrode consumption.

Referring to the numbered parts of the drawings, in which I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a casing II in which the arcs are drawn, centrally supported by a tubular standard 12. Upon the top I3 of the casing, which also serves as the base for the operating mechanism, is mounted a housing 14 within which the lamp operating mechanism is enclosed. Mounted within the housing is a solenoid coil [5 into which the trunk of the solenoid core [6 depends. The core comprises a plurality of inverted L-shaped laminae 16a, alternately arranged with their upper arms lfib extending in opposite directions and bent to form a fan-like series of radially extending vanes. The construction of this solenoid core is more particularly described and claimed in my pending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 28,189, filed of even date herewith as a division of my said application, Serial No. 520,139.

An operating lever I8 is pivotally mounted upon a pivot shaft l9 supported upon a wall of the housing. From one arm of the lever [8 depends a spring link I1 to which the upper end of the solenoid core I6 is attached. From the other arm of the lever, adjacent its extremity, depends a link to which a dashpot cylinder 2| is attached. The dashpot piston 22 is supported from the base I3 of the lamp by a short rod 23. Anchored in said lever arm at a point intermediate the pivot shaft I9 and the dashpot link 20, is a pivot pin 24, upon the forward end of which is supported the bight portion of a U-shaped pair of control tube guide members 25. Said guide members depend with their lower ends terminating in a disk 26 which is snugly fitted, but freely slidable, vertically, in the tubular standard I2. Disposed about each guide member is a control rod 21 preferably of hollow or tubular form having attached to its upper end, a laterally extending apertured lug 28. Fastened to each lug by a bolt 29, and insulated therefrom by a strip 30 of insulation, is a clamp 3| for holding one or more movable electrodes 32 which depend through apertures 33 in the base I3 into arcing relation with stationary electrodes 34. Electrodes 34 are firmly supported from standard I2 by a pair of clamps 35, 39, electrically insulated from each other and from the standard I2. A backing plate 31 of comparatively thick fire-resistant material is preferably attache-d, as by bolts 38, to the under side of the base I3 for the purpose of reinforcement and added support. It is provided with large apertures alined with apertures 33 of the base I3, through which the movable electrodes 32 pass freely.

Disposed upon the top surface of the base l3 and provided with apertures through which the movable electrodes pass snugly but without appreciable resistance, are plates 39 of a material such as asbestos board, which is a non-conductor of electricity and is not subject to injury or deterioration by prolonged exposure to heat. These plates are preferably provided one for each movable electrode, and are held upon said base I3 against vertical movement, yet are capable of considerable movement in a horizontal plane. In the preferred embodiment shown, the holding devices for the plates comprise pins 40 and 4|. Pins 49 fit tightly in apertures provided in the base l3 and backing plate 31, and each plate 39 is snugly mounted for pivotal movement about a pin 40. Pins 4| pass through large apertures in the base and backing plate, permitting considerable lateral movement of the plate relative to the base at this point. Thus, plates 39 are held against vertical displacement from the base I3 at two sides of the electrode, without, however, interfering with their normal lateral movement in conformity with lateral movement of the electrodes 32. Heads are provided upon the ends of said pins, those in the disclosed embodiment being constitute-d by right-angularly bent extensions 40m and Ma which bear against the top surface of the plates, and other extensions which bear against the under side of the backing plate 31. In the disclosed embodiment, pins 49 are constituted by a single U-shaped piece of stout wire, the pins 40 having a common head portion which bears against the under side of the plate 31. If pins 49 with such or other forms of extensive heads are used, and the plates 39 are well fitted to the electrodes, pins 4| may be omitted in the interests of economy.

The clutch mechanism includes a connecting rod 44 pivotally mounted at its upper end upon the pin 24. The lower end of the rod is bent into a bight portion 45 extending through the clutch plate 41 and terminates in an arm 46 which extends toward the control rods 21 and overlies a portion of the clutch plate 41. Clutch plate 41 is pivotally supported at one end upon the bight portion 45 and its other end is prevented from assuming an elevated position by the arm 46 which overlies a substantial portion of the plate. False clutching is thereby prevented. A substantially heart-shaped aperture 48 is provided in the clutch plate 41 and two edges of the aperture are convergent toward the suspended end of the plate so that, when the plate is in a tilted position, the control rods 21 extending therethrough are wedged together into frictional engagement with each other. The control rods 21 are preferably knurled or serrated as at 49 along the line of contact so that when clutched or declutched by plate 41 they will normally move together as a unit, except to compensate for uneven consumption of the electrodes. The end of the clutch plate not suspended upon the rod 44 is drilled transversely to provide a bearing 50 for the clutch-plate tripping element 53. By the use of this element, the sensitivity of the lamp to variations in current demand due to electrode consumptlon is increased as much as eight fold. The clutch plate tripping element disclosed is formable from a single piece of common brass rod and comprises a pintle portion 5| disposed in bearing 50 of the clutch plate. A contactor arm 52 extends forwardly from one end of the pintle 5| and terminates in a bight portion 52a which bears against the base I3, or other stop, when the lamp is either not in operation, or the electrodes require feeding to compensate for their consumption and the clutch operating arm of the lever M has reached substantially the limit of its downward movement. A second arm 53 extends rearwardly from the other end of the pintle 5| and terminates in a finger portion 53a which overlies arm 43. Upon a lowering of the clutch plate 41 with the portion 52a of the contactor arm resting against the base I3, the plate 41 is caused to progressively approach the horizontal. This progressive movement is far more steady, easy, sensitive, and certain than that occurring in a construction in which the free end of the clutch plate bears directly upon the base. The present movement is effected by the compound lever action involving pivotal movement of the pintle 5| in the bearing 50 and pivotal movement of the finger portion 53a upon the arm 46, as well as pivotal movement of the clutch plate 41, upon the bight portion 45. By reason of the fact that a portion of the pull of clutch rod 44 is taken from the normally suspend-ed end of the clutch plate and transferred through arms 46 and 53 to the normally free end of the plate there occurs an actual lifting of the free end as Well as a lowering of the normally suspended end. When the clutch plate has so nearly reached a horizontal plane that the effective horizontal orifice of the aperture permits the control rods to fall, they do so, and the movable electrodes 32 advance to compensate for the portion of the electrodes consumed since the previous release of the clutch plate 41. However, the advance of the movable electrodes brings about an immediate increase in the current by reason of the shortened arc, and the solenoid coil which is in series with the lamp circuit responds, drawing down the core I6, rocking the lever I8, lifting the clutch rod 44 and the clutch plate 41 free of the base I3, causing it to engage the control rods 21, lifting them and their attached movable electrodes 32, spacing the arcs and bringing the lamp again into equilibrium. The action above described is so instantaneous that the arc is not interrupted and the intensity of the light therefrom is substantially uniform.

The electrical connections of the lamp are conventional, the line 54 being provided with a switch 55. One conductor 56 therefrom connects to stationary electrode clamp 35, the current passing through the stationary electrode supported therein and its arc to the associated movable electrode, the clamp 3| thereon, and through conductor 51 to the series resistance 58. From the series resistance by conductor 59, the current passes through solenoid core I5, thence through conductor 60 to the other clamp 3|, its movable electrode, the second arc, the stationary electrode in clamp 36, said clamp, and conductor 6| to the switch 55 and line 54.

It will be observed that I have provide-d a simple, inexpensive arc lamp which is far more sensitive to electrode consumption than those heretofore provided. This is a feature of the highest importance when such a lamp is employed for light therapy, since, unless the light intensity be uniform, the exposure can not be determined in units of time. It is well known that the proper amount of exposure is to be accurately determined from the character and condition of the patient or subject, and the secret of success in light therapy is chiefly one of strict adherence to the exposure prescribed. Irregular treatments and undetermined amounts of exposure to are lamp emission may not only be of no value, but may even be seriously injurious. The present lamp, because of its simple, inexpensive, and troublefree character, has special appeal for the home and school, and, because of the uniform intensity of the light provided thereby, is a safe lamp which can be scientifically employed by anyone who can tell time.

I am aware that many of the features of this invention are applicable to lamps employing a single pair of electrodes. I am also aware that the particular construction illustrated in this application may be changed considerably without departing from the spirit of my invention. Therefore, I claim my invention broadly, as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an arc lamp, the combination of a movable electrode, a stationary electrode cooperating therewith, a control tube rigidly connected to said movable electrode, arc regulating mechanism, a clutch cooperating with said control tube and operatively connected to said arc-regulating mechanism, and a guide rod extending through said control tube, said guide rod being connected to said arc-regulating means for coordinate motion with said clutch.

2. In an arc lamp, the combination of a stationary electrode, a movable electrode cooperating therewith, a control tube rigidly connected to said movable electrode, a pivoted clutch-operating lever, means for actuating said lever, a clutch cooperating with said control tube, a link connected to said lever and suspending said clutch, a guide rod extending through said tube and connected at its upper end to said lever in substantial alinement with the upper end of said link, and means for restraining the lower end of said rod from lateral movement.

3. In an arc lamp, the combination of a pair of stationary electrodes, a pair of movable electrodes cooperating therewith, a pair of control tubes arranged side by side, electrode holders attached to the walls of said tubes, extending laterally therefrom, and clamped upon said movable electrodes, a single clutch coacting with said tubes, means for actuating said clutch comprising a pivoted lever and a clutch connecting link attached thereto, and guide means extending axially through said tubes and connected to said lever.

4. In an arc lamp, the combination of a pair of stationary electrodes, a pair of movable electrodes cooperating therewith, a tubular shaft, a pair of control tubes arranged side by side and extending into said tubular shaft, electrode holders attached to said tubes, extending laterally therefrom, and clamped upon said movable electrodes, a single clutch coacting with said tubes, means for actuating said clutch comprising a pivoted lever and a clutch connecting link attached thereto, and guide means extending axially through said tubes, pivotally connected at one end to said lever, and guided at the other end by means slidably engaging the inside of said tubular shaft.

5. In an arc lamp, the combination of a pair of stationary electrodes, a pair of movable electrodes cooperating therewith, a tubular shaft, a pair of control tubes arranged side by side and extending into said tubular shaft, electrode holders attached to said tubes, extending laterally therefrom, and clamped upon said movable electrodes, a single clutch coacting with said tubes, means for actuating said clutch comprising a pivoted lever and a clutch connecting link attached thereto, and guide means comprising a U-shaped rod having its bight pivotally secured to the lever, and its legs extending axially entirely through said tubes, and means attached to the lower ends of said legs and slidably engaged in said tubular shaft for maintaining said guide means in alinement with said tubular shaft.

6. In an arc lamp, the combination of a pair of stationary electrodes, a pair of movable electrodes cooperating therewith, a pair of control tubes rigidly connected to said movable electrodes, a tubular shaft into which the lower ends of said control tubes project side by side, a clutch cooperating with said control tubes, a pivoted operating lever, means for actuating said lever, a pin carried by said lever, a link connected to said pin and suspending the clutch, a pair of guide rods suspended from said pin and extending through said control tubes, and a disk fastened to the lower ends of said rods and slidable in said tubular shaft.

7. In an arc lamp, the combination of a pair of stationary electrodes, a pair of movable electrodes cooperating therewith, a pair of control tubes arranged side by side, electrode holders attached to the walls of said tubes, extending laterally therefrom, and clamped upon said movable electrodes, guide means extending through each of said tubes, a single clutch coacting with said tubes and means for actuating said clutch.

8. In an arc lamp, the combination of a movable electrode, a stationary electrode cooperating therewith, a control tube rigidly connected to said movable electrode, a clutch cooperating with said control tube, clutch-operating mechanism from which said clutch is suspended, and a guide rod also suspended from said clutch-operating mechanism and passing through said control tube.

9. In an arc lamp, the combination of a movable electrode, a stationary electrode cooperating therewith, a control tube rigidly connected to said movable electrode, a clutch cooperating with said control tube, clutch-operating mechanism from which said clutch is suspended, a guide rod also suspended from said clutch-operating mechanism and passing through said control tube and means for restraining the lower end of said rod from lateral movement.

10. In an arc lamp, the combination of a pair of stationary electrodes, a pair of movable electrodes cooperating therewith, a pair of control tubes arranged side by side, electrode holders attached to said tubes and extending laterally therefrom and clamped upon the movable electrodes, a single clutch co-acting with said tubes, clutch-operating mechanism from which said clutch is suspended, and guide means extended axially through said tubes and also suspended from clutch-operating mechanism.

11. In an arc lamp, the combination of a pair of stationary electrodes, a pair of movable electrodes cooperating therewith, a tubular shaft, a pair of control tubes arranged side by side and extending into said tubular shaft, electrode holders attached to and extending laterally from said tubes and clamped upon said movable electrodes, a single clutch co-acting with said tubes, a clutch-operating mechanism from which said clutch is suspended, guide means extending axially through said tubes and also suspended from said clutch-operating mechanism, and means slidably engaging the inside of said tubular shaft for restraining said guide means from lateral movement.

JAMES H. WAGENHORST. 

